Bak Kut Teh

Bak kut teh means meat bone tea, and Singapore's version is the Teochew one: a clear broth of pork ribs, a great deal of white pepper and whole garlic, quite different from the dark herbal Hokkien style found across the causeway. It comes with rice, youtiao to dip, and free broth refills, and it is eaten at any hour, traditionally by dock workers in the morning. Tea is drunk alongside to cut the fat.

What you actually see

• The peppery broth - a clear soup heavy with white pepper and whole garlic.
• The refills - free top-ups of broth, standard at every shop.
• The youtiao - fried dough sticks torn and dipped into the soup.
• The Teochew style - clear and peppery, unlike the dark herbal version elsewhere.

When to go

Year round; traditionally a morning dish but eaten at all hours, and several shops open very late. Long-established shops are busiest at lunch. Some close one day a week.

Honest expectations

The Singapore style is peppery, not herbal, and people expecting the Malaysian dark version are often surprised. Ribs vary in quality between shops. The broth is very salty.

Nearby

Balestier and the Singapore River both have long-established shops.